I have a stack of pages this high on my desk.  It’s my copy edits for Hunter’s Salvation.  Copy edits go back to the publisher, they make the corrections and then they lay out the design the book will have, it comes back to me one more time for a read thru and then it’s off for whatever they do to get the book actually printed.

That won’t happen though unless I get the edits done.  Which I’m going to do.  Today.

Then he shows up.  Who is he?  He’s the hero from this book… this done book so there is no reason for him show up in my office…right?

Vax:  Wrong.

Me: Will you leave me alone?  I have to get this done so your book can get out on time.

Vax: (smirking)  What do I care if you get it done?  You already told the story.  I know what happens now.

Me: thinking…this is why it’s not a good idea for characters to talk to you.  Yes, Vax, I know you know the story…but the readers don’t.

Vax just shrugs and flops out on the floor.  He looks around and looks back at me.  You need a chair in here.

Me: glaring at him.   I have a chair.  I’m sitting in it.  Because this is MY office.  I work in here.  You don’t.

Vax: grinning  You don’t work here right now until you talk to me.

Me: groaning  Fine.  Fine.  What do you want to talk about?

Vax: shrugging I dunno.

Me:  glaring…again…  Have I told you what a difficult bastard you are?

Vax: laughing  You have, a couple of times.  Your fault, too.  You made me, didn’t you?

Me: Shoot.  All I did was give you a name and a face.  You took over from there.  So it’s your fault you’re a difficult bastard.

Vax (now HE is the one glaring) My fault, huh?  You think I wanted…

Me: WOULD YOU SHUT UP?  They don’t need to know about that yet.

Vax: Well, what about when you…. (voice trails off and he gives me this squinty eyed look)  Guess they don’t need to know about that yet, neither.  But I didn’t ask for that.  You’re a mean little bitch sometimes.

Me:  Why, thank you.  Now will you either say what you gotta say or just go away?  I have to work.

Vax:  And you call ME difficult.  Can’t even insult you.

Me: (i’ve irritated him, at least a little so I’m good) So what are you doing here anyway?  Jess get tired of you already?

Vax just smiles, a slow smile that says a million little things.

Me: laughing.  Guess not.  Hey, by the way… if you’re going to blame me for all the hell in your life, you better thank me for the good things too.  Namely Jess.

Vax stands up and crosses over to me.  Yeah.  That’s why I’m here.  He dipped his head, pressed his lips to mine and said, Thank you.

Wow.  oh… wow…by the time I surface from my daze, he’s gone.

Now I just gotta shake it off because I got another hard case waiting for me once I get these edits off my desk.